A type curve approach to estimatingp for ap-normal transformation

The p-normal transformation plays an important role in reservoir characterization for data sets that are neither normally nor log-normally distributed. The key step in the transformation is to estimate the value of pfor a given data set. Even though there are several ways to determine p,these are more inconvenient than the quicker and easier type curve approach to estimate pwe present in this paper. In addition, the method provides the p-normal transformation with a visual interpretation. We demonstrate the technique by analyzing reservoir permeability and porosity data from the East Velma West Block Sims Sand Unit, Oklahoma.     

A new simple approach to evaluate pedogenic clay transformation in a Vertic Calcisol

The aim of this study is to characterize the pedogenic clay minerals by using simple approach: mixing mineralogical and geochemical findings.The fine clay fractions (< 0.1 μm) of a Vertic Cambisol profile were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and cation exchange capacity (CEC).Qualitative and quantitative mineralogical compositions of the clay mixture were determined.Moreover, chemical equilibria and thermodynamic stabilities of minerals (calcite, gypsum, kaolinite, smectites and illites) were studied using results of ionic activities obtained from total concentration of various aqueous species in water extracts from soil-saturated pastes.XRD analysis shows a good homogeneity in the mineralogical composition of the soil material, with depth of soil profiles. The identified clay minerals are mainly illite–smectite mixed layers (I/S) and kaolinite. The chemical analysis of saturated paste extracts with clay minerals shows a slight undersaturation of the illitic phase while smectites and also calcite and gypsum reach the thermodynamic equilibrium along the soil profile.     

A late-glacial transition from Picea glauca to Picea mariana in southern New England

Picea is an important taxon in late-glacial pollen records from eastern North America, but little is known about which species of Picea were present. We apply a recently developed palynological method for discriminating the three Picea species in eastern North America to three records from New England. Picea glauca was dominant at  14,500–14,000 cal yr BP, followed by a transition to Picea mariana between  14,000 and 13,500 cal yr BP. Comparison of the pollen data with hydrogen isotope data shows clearly that this transition began before the beginning of the Younger Dryas Chronozone. The ecological changes of the late-glacial interval were not a simple oscillation in the position of a single species' range, but rather major changes in vegetation structure and composition occurring during an interval of variations in several environmental factors, including climate, edaphic conditions, and atmospheric CO₂ levels.     

A history of the ‘Zambian copper flower', Becium centraliafricanum (B. homblei)

This contribution is a short history of the Zambian copper flower, Becium homblei (recently renamed B. centraliafricanum that has attracted attention as a plant associated with Cu-rich soils. It has a peculiar discontinuous distribution in Central Africa which has been explained in terms of biotype depletion. A field investigation into the ecology of the species shows that it is able to tolerate soil Cu concentrations of up to 15,000 μg/g (ppm), and soil nickel concentrations of nearly 5000 μg/g. B. homblei is also found on areas where soil metals are in trace quantities, and where soil bases, particularly Ca, are low. In spite of its tolerance to a wide range of edaphic conditions, the distribution of the species is very restricted in Zimbabwe, and this is almost certainly due to severe interspecific competition with a closely related species, B. obovatum, which is common on soils not unusually enriched in heavy metals. Pioneering work on geobotanical prospecting by use of Becium homblei was carried out by the late G. Woodward and others in the 1950s and 1960s. This species was used successfully for geobotanical prospecting for Cu. This present report is a brief history of these pioneering studies     

A sedimentological approach to P-A relationships for tidal inlet systems: an example from Yuehu Inlet, Shandong Peninsula, China

Power-law relationship between tidal prism (P) and the cross-sectional area of the entrance channel (A) is applicable to assess the equilibrium conditions of a tidal inlet system. The classic method of determining P-A relationships proposed by O’Brien depends on datasets from multi-tidal inlet systems, which has shown some limitations and is unable to assess equilibrium of a single tidal inlet. This paper focuses on establishing a new P-A relationship for a single tidal inlet. Our experimental result shows that in order to maintain the status, power n should be > 1, implying that the inlet width will narrow and current speed within the entrance will increase as tidal prism becomes smaller. A possible explanation for power n <,1.0, as many researchers argued before, is that the influence of tidal prism has been exaggerated. Meanwhile, the magnitude of coefficient C is dependent on many factors such as longshore drift, freshwater discharge, etc, resulting in a wide range of variation of C. It should be pointed out that P-A relationship given by the sediment dynamical approach is still a representative of average status for tidal inlets in equilibrium. As tide, wave, freshwater discharge and tidal inlet morphology change with time, actual P-A relationships will fluctuate also. The problems that need to be solved when applying sediment dynamic methods to P-A relationships include the cross-sectional distribution pattern of tidal current speeds in the entrance channel, the relationship between the tidal current and the tidal water level at the entrance, and the calculation of the ratio of width to depth. This paper will establish a sediment dynamical approach of P-A relationship for a single tidal inlet. The results are tested for P-A relationships of Yuehu Inlet, a small inlet-lagoon system located in Shandong Peninsula, China. __________ Translated from Oceanologia Et Limnologia Sinica, 2005, 36(3): 269–276 [译自: 海洋与湖沼]     

Suitability of biogenic carbonate of Lithospermum fruits for C dating

Lithospermum (Boraginaceae) belongs to a small group of plant taxa that accumulate biogenic carbonate in their fruits. In this genus, carbonate incrustations form in the cells of the epidermis and sclerenchyma of the pericarp. Fossil Lithospermum fruits (nutlets) with well-preserved calcified tissues commonly occur in Quaternary sediments and cultural layers. We tested the suitability of biogenic carbonate of Lithospermum fruits for radiocarbon dating using a total of 15 AMS measurement results from four modern and 11 fossil samples. The ¹⁴C data from modern samples suggest that Lithospermum utilises only atmospheric carbon to synthesise calcite in the nutlets. In general, the ages determined through ¹⁴C dating of fossil fruitscorresponded well with the absolute-age intervals for archaeological sites over the last 5000 yr. Biogenic carbonate of Lithospermum fruits, like that of Celtis, represents a new source of chronological information for late Quaternary studies.     

Revision of the conchostracan genera Cratostracus and Porostracus from Cretaceous deposits in north-east China

The diagnoses of the conchostracan genera Cratostracus and Porostracus are revised following a re-examination of their type species under a scanning electron microscope. In Cratostracus each growth line has a serrated lower margin. Radial lirae branch into smaller ridges that merge with each other to give the upper part of each growth band in the ventral region of the carapace a slightly undulating surface. Cross-bars are present between these lirae. In Porostracus the radial lirae on the growth bands near the umbo are long and relatively widely spaced. There is a fine reticulum between them in the umbonal part of the carapace and cross-bars on the ventral surface. The ornament of Porostracus indicates that it can be assigned to the family Halysestheriidae rather than to the Afrograptidae, in which it has been placed previously. Morphological analysis of most of the species of the two genera and closely related Orthestheria (Migransia) under the scanning electron microscope is required before their stratigraphic potential can be fully realized.     

跨座式单轨交通曲线车站超高研究

参照了日本跨座式单轨交通有关技术总结及重庆跨座式单轨交通设计资料,同时结合重庆单轨三号线方案研究报告,提出曲线车站设置超高时的几种设置方法,可以最大限度地提高区间运营速度,缩短旅行时间,提高效率。     

吉林省大布苏国家重点化石产地的猛犸象-披毛犀动物群

猛犸象-披毛犀动物群是晚更新世时期北半球最具代表性的典型哺乳动物群,该动物群的化石在中国东北地区广泛分布,其演化、发展乃至灭绝与古人类文明的发展有密切的关系。综述猛犸象-披毛犀动物群的概况,从动物组合、古地理分布、古生态环境等方面介绍了该生物群之全貌。以吉林省大布苏国家重点化石产地为例,对该产地出土的猛犸象-披毛犀动物群化石标本进行了最新的统计(分属6目13科21属23种),对其化石组合特征进行了分析,并对在东北地区深入开展该动物群研究的意义进行了探讨。     

Biotic effects of environmental catastrophes at the end of the Cretaceous and early Tertiary: Guembelitria and Heterohelix blooms

In this study we report similar biotic response patterns in planktic foraminiferal assemblages, whether in association with volcanism, impacts or climate change at the end of the Cretaceous and early Tertiary. During and after each type of catastrophe two groups dominate high stress assemblages: (1) the small Guembelitria species, which are interpreted as having thrived in eutrophic surface waters where other species rarely survived; and (2) the low oxygen tolerant small Heterohelix species, which thrived at times of an expanding oxygen minimum zone associated with high nutrients and a stratified water column. The ecosystem collapse appears to be primarily the result of high macro- and micronutrient influx (from impacts, volcanism and erosion) leading to eutrophication and phytoplankton blooms (i.e., primary producers) that result in toxic conditions for foraminifera. Once nutrients decrease due to consumption by phytoplankton, the first opportunistic foraminifera, the Guembelitria, appear and graze on phytoplankton, rapidly reproduce (heterochronic acceleration) and increase populations exponentially. With nutrient depletion Guembelitria populations rapidly decrease leading to ecologic niches for other generalists and ecosystem recovery. Small low O₂ tolerant heterohelicid populations mark this second stage, followed by small trochospiral and planispiral species. With further environmental recovery, increasing competition, niche development, and restoration of a well-stratified watermass, oligotrophic conditions are restored opening habitats for large, highly specialized species and a return to normal diverse assemblages. Such highly stressed ecological successions are observed in association with mantle plume volcanism in the Indian Ocean, Andean volcanism in Argentina and shallow inland seas in Egypt and Madagascar during the late Maastrichtian, the K-T impact, volcanism during the early Danian, and intense upwelling and climate extremes. We present a simple model to explain the ecological succession and recovery phases that follow major biotic perturbations.     

Geochronology of Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna and Gigantopithecus in Guangxi Province, southern China

Pleistocene faunas from south China are difficult to subdivide based on the long temporal ranges of many taxa and a reduced number of genera in comparison to faunas from temperate north China. In south China, the Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna is a very general one and includes a relatively stable suite of genera that apparently persisted for long periods of time. These attributes have made constraining its time range difficult. Application of electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of tooth enamel constrains the ages well where uranium uptake was minor. Where uranium uptake into teeth was significant, an approach combining ESR and ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U isotopic analysis also yields excellent ages. Previous estimates of early, middle and late Pleistocene time ranges previously determined by biostratigraphic seriation for the Ailuropoda–Stegodon fauna are confirmed in all cases but are made more precise with our approach, including specific time ranges for certain archaic taxa. Absolute dating also yields an extended time range for Gigantopithecus blacki of 1200 to 310 ka.     

On the affinity of Chuaria–Tawuia complex: A multidisciplinary study

In this study, biometric and structural engineering tool have been used to examine a possible relationship within Chuaria–Tawuia complex and micro-FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) analyses to understand the biological affinity of Chuaria circularis Walcott, collected from the Mesoproterozoic Suket Shales of the Vindhyan Supergroup and the Neoproterozoic Halkal Shales of the Bhima Group of peninsular India. Biometric analyses of well preserved carbonized specimens show wide variation in morphology and uni-modal distribution. We believe and demonstrate to a reasonable extent that C. circularis most likely was a part of Tawuia-like cylindrical body of algal origin. Specimens with notch/cleft and overlapping preservation, mostly recorded in the size range of 3–5 mm, are of special interest. Five different models proposed earlier on the life cycle of C. circularis are discussed. A new model, termed as ‘Hybrid model’ based on present multidisciplinary study assessing cylindrical and spherical shapes suggesting variable cell wall strength and algal affinity is proposed. This model discusses and demonstrates varied geometrical morphologies assumed by Chuaria and Tawuia, and also shows the inter-relationship of Chuaria–Tawuia complex.Structural engineering tool (thin walled pressure vessel theory) was applied to investigate the implications of possible geometrical shapes (sphere and cylinder), membrane (cell wall) stresses and ambient pressure environment on morphologically similar C. circularis and Tawuia. The results suggest that membrane stresses developed on the structures similar to Chuaria–Tawuia complex were directly proportional to radius and inversely proportional to the thickness in both cases. In case of hollow cylindrical structure, the membrane stresses in circumferential direction (hoop stress) are twice of the longitudinal direction indicating that rupture or fragmentation in the body of Tawuia would have occurred due to hoop stress. It appears that notches and discontinuities seen in some of the specimens of Chuaria may be related to rupture suggesting their possible location in 3D Chuaria.The micro-FTIR spectra of C. circularis are characterized by both aliphatic and aromatic absorption bands. The aliphaticity is indicated by prominent alkyl group bands between 2800–3000 and 1300–1500 cm⁻¹. The prominent absorption signals at 700–900 cm⁻¹ (peaking at 875 and 860 cm⁻¹) are due to aromatic CH out of plane deformation. A narrow, strong band is centred at 1540 cm⁻¹ which could be COOH band. The presence of strong aliphatic bands in FTIR spectra suggests that the biogeopolymer of C. circularis is of aliphatic nature. The wall chemistry indicates the presence of ‘algaenan’—a biopolymer of algae.     

Neogastroplites meets Metengonoceras: morphological response of an endemic hoplitid ammonite to a new invader in the mid-Cretaceous Mowry Sea of North America

High levels of morphological variability have been attributed to various ecological and developmental mechanisms, including selection for ecological generalists in an unstable environment, inherent developmental plasticity, and the absence of competitors in an empty ecosystem. The late Albian–early Cenomanian hoplitid ammonite Neogastroplites of the Mowry Sea of North America, notorious for its extreme levels of intraspecific variability, is used as a test case of the idea that a lack of competitors promotes variability. The group responded to the invasion of a second ammonite, the engonoceratid Metengonoceras, into the Mowry Sea by spreading into a previously unoccupied region of morphospace, suggesting possible ecological character displacement and a release from constructional constraints. However, morphological variability did not decrease, as would be predicted by the competition model. The variability of Neogastroplites might instead result from environmental instability or developmental flexibility.     

Similar morphological and chemical variations of Gloeocapsomorpha prisca in Ordovician sediments and cultured Botryococcus braunii as a response to changes in salinity

Most Ordovician source rocks consist of accumulation of a colonial marine microorganism, Gloeocapsomorpha prisca (G. prisca) whose nature, ecology and affinity with extant organisms have been in dispute for years. Furthermore, recent studies have shown major differences in phenol moieties between two G. prisca-rich samples. Examination of five G. prisca-rich kerogens by electron microscopy and pyrolysis studies revealed (i) the occurrence of two markedly distinct “morpho/chemical” types: a “closed/phenol-rich” type (Baltic samples) and an “open/phenol-poor” one (North American samples) and (ii) the selective preservation of the resistant micromolecular material building up the thick cell walls in the original organism. Comparison with extant Botryococcus braunii (a widespread green microalga) grown on media of increasing salinity suggests that G. prisca is likely to be a planktonic green microalga related to B. braunii, which can adapt to large salinity variations which, in turn, control its polymorphism. The large differences in colony morphology and in the content of phenol moieties observed in fossil G. prisca and the resulting occurrence of two “morpho/chemical” types, should therefore reflect depositional environments with different salinities. The presence of thick, highly aliphatic, resistant walls in G. prisca selectively preserved during fossilization, accounts for the major contribution of this organism to Ordovician organic-rich sediments and for the resulting typical signature of Ordovician oils.     

榴辉岩中传统地质温压计新解：来自PT视剖面图的证据

石榴石-单斜辉石(GC)温度计和石榴石-单斜辉石-多硅白云母(GCP)压力计是确定榴辉岩形成温压条件的最常用方法,二者主要依据石榴石、绿辉石和多硅白云母中相组分之间的交换和转换变质反应.依据MORB成分计算的PT视剖面图表明,在不同榴辉岩矿物组合中,控制3个矿物相成分变化的相组分之间的变质反应不同.在低温含绿泥石、滑石和蓝闪石榴辉岩组合中,石榴石和绿辉石的镁含量主要受到含水矿物脱水反应的控制,并都随温度升高而升高,二者之间的铁镁交换反应并不起主要作用.因此,在自然界含有蓝闪石等含水矿物的低温榴辉岩中,由于绿辉石相对富镁而常常导致GC温度计结果偏低.在含有硬柱石的高压-超高压榴辉岩中,石榴石中的钙含量受到硬柱石的控制,随着压力升高或温度降低,硬柱石含量增加,使石榴石中钙降低,此时石榴石-绿辉石-多硅白云母之间的转换反应对石榴石成分的影响会很微弱,由于石榴石相对贫钙而导致GCP压力计结果偏低.在含有蓝晶石的中温高压-超高压榴辉岩中,矿物成分的变化受到石榴石-绿辉石之间的铁镁交换反应和石榴石．绿辉石．多硅白云母-蓝晶石-石英/柯石英之间的一系列转换反应控制,因此,GC和GCP温压计都能给出相对合理的结果.在低压普通角闪石榴辉岩中,石榴石和绿辉石中的镁含量主要反应压力变化,有时并不指示变质作用温度.在含有蓝闪石等含水矿物的低温榴辉岩中,Thermocalc程序中的平均温压(avPT)方法可以给出比较合适的温度,但压力结果与GCP压力计一样也会偏低一些.在蓝闪石和绿帘石等含水矿物消失后的中温蓝晶石榴辉岩中,avPT方法难以给出合理的PT信息.相对来说,视剖面图方法能够给出最多的PT信息,是目前确定变质岩PT条件的最好方法.     

An approach to large-scale field stress determination

The construction of stable structures in rock masses requires knowledge of the in situ stresses at the scale of excavations. However, the measurements obtained by the conventional overcoring technique are related to a small scale (centimetres). To extrapolate them to the scales of interest to rock mechanics (from meters to kilometres) requires a large number of individual stress measurements, followed by statistical analysis to avoid a considerable scatter of the measured values. In this paper, a method is proposed based on (a) large-scale surface stress and modulus measurements using the cylindrical jack method complemented by a special measuring scheme and then (b) back analysis for a given excavation shape. The method allows the simultaneous reconstruction of the stress components at the scale of excavation. A numerical simulation for a cylindrical excavation in an isotropic rock mass demonstrates the high accuracy and robustness of the method. The presence of a fractured zone surrounding the excavation can hamper the stress reconstruction, hence special measures should be taken to conduct the measurements in competent rock.     

Notes on non-marine bivalve Trigonioides (Trigonioides?) from the mid-Cretaceous Goshoura Group, Kyushu, Japan

Trigonioides goshourensis n. sp. and Trigonioides amakusensis Kikuchi and Tashiro occur in the late Albian Eboshi Formation of the Goshoura Group in Kyushu, Japan. These Albian species are characterized by three radial pseudocardinal teeth on the thick and wide hinge plate, and are probably ancestors of Cenomanian species of Trigonioides (Kumamotoa) with four radial pseudocardinal teeth. This chronological relation may be important for the correlation of non-marine Cretaceous strata in East Asia. In addition, the habitat of T. amakusensis is interpreted as estuarine tidal flats under brackish water conditions, although Trigonioides is generally a freshwater bivalve genus.     

Kinetic Spectrophotometric Determination of Trace Iron（Ⅲ）with p—Amino—N,N—Dimethylaniline Dihydrochloride and Hydrogen Peroxide

A new, simple and highly sensitive kinetic method for the determination of trace iron (III) has been developed based on the catalytic effect of iron (III) on color reaction ofp-amino-N, N-dimethylaniline dihydrochloride (p-DMA) oxidated by hydrogen peroxide. The reaction is followed spectrophotometrically by measuring the absorbance at 510 nm. The detection limit is 4.47×10⁻¹¹ g/ml, and the calibration curve is linear in the range of 0–0.10μg Fe(III) /25 ml with a relative standard deviation of ±3.25%. The method has been applied to the determination of iron in tap-water, chemical reagents and human hair.